8th Jul 2009, 00:55
Howdy - we live in a rural community (approx. 300 folks) in the mtns. of western NMUSA and need to drive 75 miles just to get to a grocery store, much less commute to the univ. (which I have to do 5x a week).
After A TON of research (approx. 25-30 months) we decided if we found an older SR5 we'd snap it up and run the darn thing into the ground, thus saving our other car and truck from the grueling mileage until I finished school. We found one on a popular auction wEB (ay) site... three guesses and the first two don't count... and drove 600 + miles to pick it up. Of course, it was, upon first site, *not at all REMOTELY described properly*, had been hand-painted with a brush and house paint over an un-sanded paint job, missing a ton of cosmetic pieces, blah blah blah... we almost left it behind, which would have been the WORST MISTAKE WE EVER MADE. That little motor goes!
It was so great we took the 4th of July weekend to caravan home via the back roads of four of our great western states, adding several hundred extra miles onto our trip because this thing is a gorgeous little piece of machinery!! Four days with a couple of gallons of paint stripper and a hand sander has the car ready for a new paint job, and can I live with a missing ashtray (don't smoke) and a beat up headliner? When coupled with incredible driver / passenger room, fantastic gas mileage (consistently 33-35 at any speed), out of this world turning radius, great storage (I'm in the medical field and he's in forestry/fire, so we drag a crapload of equip. around) and all around killer performance for a 25 year old car... Hell yes!
A little elbow grease is all this sweetheart of a workhorse needs to get me to and fro (the max. speed limit on our rural highways is 55, so that's coasting in fourth for this chuletita roja). Plus, as a defenseless and mechanically disinclined female (no, really, I've never even considered switching my FJ for a 350 Chevy) and a die-hard Toyota fan, I had to pick something that satisfied my need of ease to work with and my loyalties. (I swore when I got married, I'd never tough an oil filter again... right.)
If you find one of these darlings, GRAB IT! Grab it and never let it go.
10th Jul 2008, 18:02
Hello.
My 1984 Toyota Tercel SR5 has been a wonderful car. I bought her new and have driven her all over the country. She never once left me helpless standing by the side of the road. She was a faithful friend, yes she's gone now, but after 428,000 miles of service (and with the original clutch intact) I said my goodbye's.
I changed my oil every 2,500 miles and kept up the maintenance. That's the key!!! I received a little over 36 mpg, great stuff by today's standards.
I rarely see any on the roads any more, but I'm sure there have to be a few people out there who still wash & wax and take pride in their investment like I did.
Regards, "JULS"